Our Story

“Hak[i]” means truth or justice in Swahili, Arabic and other languages, a reflection of the centrality of justice to human existence. Hakí is a global network of community organizations that strives to inject justice in to development. We are both a social enterprise and non-profit that uses flexible, innovative solutions to fight some of the world's toughest problems.

Hakí is coordinated by a technical team of lawyers and community-based development experts that supports businesses to incorporate human rights standards into their investments; partners with communities to protect and advocate for their rights; and provides thought leadership to international donors on using justice as a tool to fight poverty.

Hakí believe first and foremost in local, community engagement. We support community paralegals. We build local networks of advocates and public interest lawyers. We bridge the divide between community and responsible investment. Hakí members bring local knowledge and perspectives to national and international debates on legal issues that directly affect the poor, including:

Fighting poverty and food insecurity through strong land and natural resource rights

Injecting international human rights into business practices

Eliminating injustice and violence against women

Ensuring sustainable access to justice and affordable legal services for the poor

Improving governance and reducing corruption

Hakí works with the public and private sectors through a global network of over 50 CSOs across the developing world to emphasize sustainable results that benefit local communities.